Motor-vehicle



F. G. ALBORN.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, 1918.

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F. G. ALBORN.

Y MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, I918.

1 ,358,670. Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that. l, Frans G. ALBORN, citizen of the United States,and a resident of Milford, New Haven county, Connecti- 'l'his inventionrelates to motor vehicles of the class in which the power plant, or atleast the motor, is flexibly inountedon the main frame, usually at threepoints of supthat, when port, and is more particularly concerned withmeans for compelling the motor starting cranlt to remain substantiallyTalined withlthe crank-shaft oi the motor; Even in motor vehicles of theclass in which the frame is supposed to herigiol and the motorrigidlymounted thereon, it is often tound the vehicle is standing onuneven ground, there is so much distortion between the motor and theframe, that it is impossible to the clutch member of the motor startingcranlt with the mating clutch member on the end of the motorcrank-shaft, it being understood, of course, that in vehicles of thisclass, the starting crank is mounted on the main frame independently oithe motor. My invention is equally well adapted to motor vehicles of theclass to which l have just referred, well as to those in which specialprovision is made for flexible mounting of the motor on the main frame.My invention is more especially adapted for usein motor truclrs of theclass in which the motor and sonic times the transmission also ismounted on a sub-trains, .which, in turn, is fiersiloly mounted on themain trams.

My invention will he best understood lay reference to taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodimentthereof, while its scope will he more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

in the drawings:

Figure l is a plan of the main frame, suhe frame, ower plant, andmotor-starting cranlr, o a? vehicle embodying my invention;

li ig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 ct" Fig. l;

specification of Letters latent.

have invented an lmprovement in the -hillowing description, whenPatented Nov, a, ltlfilh,

application files Marcel, lulu. Serial lto. siesta:

, Fig. 3 is a sectional also, partly in eleva tion, online 3-3 at Fig.

. Fig; i is sectional view, on line H, of j l ig l, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 oi Fig. 1. v

Referring to the drawings, and to the emhochment ofmy invention, whichl. have selected for llustration, l, have shown a portion of a motorvehicle main frame,

best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprising a pair of longitudinal membersa, a transverse front heain l, and a transverse rear hearts. 8. Thefront beam herein shown is provided, with a vertical opening 9, bestshown in Fig. 5, formed by mating said heamup of two members 10,consisting of channel bars having vertical webs 11, and upper andlowerilanges l2 and 13. These channel bars are herein deepened at theircentral portion. as at it, to form a convenient support for the "forwardend of the sulo-i ranaenow to he described.

Mounted on the main frame is a salotraine comprising longitudinalniemloers l5, and a transverse ineinher it the latter being disposed inthe vertical opening ofas'hest shown in Figs. and 5. The longitudinalmembers 16, herein consist of channel bars,

hare is supported a inotorllO, and preferably also a transnaiission 21,which receives power from themotor through a clutch 2%, all of which mayhe of any usual or desired type cl construction. The motor herein is aninternal combustion engine, having a usual crank-shaft 23, a portion oithe tarwarcl end of which-shows in Figs. 1 and Q. As herein shown, thereis secured to the: terward and or the: cranlr-shatt a usual pulley 9a,to drive the customary tau-halt and tan (not shown), usually employed asa part at the cooling system.

.The transverse member 16 oil the eulotranie herein is in the shape oil"an arch, whose ends are secured hy rivets 25 and to to the we ls-l7 andflange 19 of each of the bars oi the sub-lraine..v

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neath the flanges-19 of the channel bars 15, as best shown in Fig. 3.The transverse bar 16 herein is supported on the transverse support 7,by a suitable ball and socket joint comprising a ball 30, and socket 31,the latter being formed in two parts, the upper of which is formedintegral with the member 16, while the lower part consists of a cap 32,secured to the upper part by studs or bolts 33, extending through bothparts. Thus it is evident that the ball and socket joint permitsrelative movement of the main and sub-frames about horizontalandvertical axes, and in this way prevents any distortion of the main framefrom causing any distortion of the power plant.

The ball 30 is herein secured to the sup port 7, by providing a bushing34,- extending through said ball, as well as through the webs ll of thechannel bars 10. Collars 35 and 36, abutting against theouter faces ofthe webs 11, are provided with reduced portions 37 and 38, snuglyfitting corresponding apertures in said webs. A nut 39, threaded ontothe bushing 34-, serves as a means for cllamping the bushing, collarsand ball, in p ace.

As a means for normally maintaining the front end of the sub-framesubstantially parallel with the front end of the main frame, there areherein provided two pairs of upper and lower springs 40. and 41, encircling bolts 4-2, the latten extending through upper abutments 43 onthe front support 7, and through the flanges 18 of the channel bars 15,as best shown in 'Fi 3. Thus the flanges l8 constitute lower a utmentsfor the springs 40, and upper abutments for the springs 41. The lowerends of the latter abut against washers 4E4, supported by nuts 4&5,threaded onto the bolts 42. It is evident that any tendency of the frontend of the sub=frame to turn about the horizontal fore-and-aft axis ofthe ball and socket joint is yieldinglyresisted by the springs 40 andd1. V

The described motor vehicle is but one of many types, to which myinvention which I shall now describe is applicable. The motor whereinprovided with a common form of motor-startin crank 46, having at itsfront end a cran -arm 47, provided'with a handle 48, and havin at itsrear end a clutch member 49, adapted for cooperation with acorrespondingly formed mating clutch member (not shown), on the forwardend of the motor cranlr-shafl 23. The construction and arrangement,and'the mode of operation of these parts, are too well known to requirefurther illustration or description. The starting-crank herein extendsthrou h an axial o ening 50, provided in the bus ing 34, an the latteris provided its inner end with an abutment 51 for a usual spring 52, theother end of which bears against an an ase-nae abutment 53, carried bythe crank 46. The arrangement is such that the'spring normally maintainsthe starting-crank out of engagement with the crank-shaft, but suchengagement may be efiected for starting purposes by forcing thestarting-crank inward against the tension of the spring, thereby toengage the cooperating clutches of the startingwrank andcrank-sl1aft,whereupon the crank may be utilized to turn thecrank-shaft.

It should now be evident from the foregoing that, if the starting-crankwere sup ported in and carried by the bushing 34, relative distortion ofthe main and subframes would be bound to cause misalinement of thestarting crank and crankshaft. Tn fact, in the operation of many trucks,it has been found that, when the vehicle is standing on very unevenground, the distortion is sufficient to make it altogether impossible tostart the motor by the use of the starting-crank because of themisalinement to which I have just referred.

As a means to overcome this difficulty, I have herein provided suitablemeans, carried by the motor to maintain the starting-crank in alinementwith the crank-shaft, regardless of any such distortion. In the presentexample, such means takes the form of two efi bearings 54 and 55, inwhich the starting crank 46 is mounted, said bearings being carried bythe sub-frame in any appropriate manner, as by providing the cap 32witharms 56 and 57, best shown in Fig. 5, on 100 which arms, the bearings 54and 55 are formed. Thus it is apparent that, since the starting crank iscarried by the sub-frame. it is compelled to follow the movements of thecrank-shaft, and to remain in alinement 105 therewith. It should beunderstood, of course, that a sufliciently large opening 50 is providedto permit freedom of action of the starting-crank therein.

While I have herein shown and described 110 one specific form orembodiment of my invention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosedand discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental toone specific application thereof, it is to be understood that theinvention is limited -neither to the mere details or relative arif claimand desire by Letters Patent to se- 126 cure is:

1. ln a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a motor 'suppyortedon said frame, a motor starting-aren means includin a retracting, springconnecting 13o said starting-crank to said frame independently of saidmotor, and means carried by said motor to maintain said starting-crankin alinement with said motor.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a motor supported onsaid frame, a motor starting-crank, a starting-crank retracting spring,means connecting said spring to said frame and including an abutment forthe inner end of said spring, and means carried by said motor to compelthe axis of said starting-crank to remain substantially alined with theaxis of said motor despite relative displacement of said motor andframe.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a motor, meansflexibly connecting said motor to said frame, a motor startingcrank,starting-crank retracting means carried by said frame independently ofsaid "motor, and means carried by said motor in its movements relativelyto said frame to compel said starting-crank to follow said movements.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a motor, a universaljoint flexibly 1 connecting said motor to said frame, a

motor starting-crank, starting-crank retracting means carried by sa1dframe independently of said motor, and means carried by said motor inits movements relatively.

to said frame to compel said starting-crank to follow said movements.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a motor, a universaljoint flexibly connecting said motor to said frame, a motorstarting-crank supported on said frame independently of said motor, andmeans governed by said motor in its movements relatively to said frameto compel said starting-crank to follow said movements.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a frame, a motor supported onsaid frame, a motor starting-crank extending through a portion of saidframe, and starting-crank bearings carried by said motor on oppositesides of such portion of said frame to cause said starting crank to moverelatively to said frame and toremain alined with said motor despiterelative displacement of said motor and said frame.

7. In a motor vehicle, the combination of I a frame, a motor, auniversal joint flexibly connecting said motor to said frame, a motorstarting-crank, and starting-crank bearings carried by said motor onopposite sides of said universal joint to cause said starting-crank tomove relatively to said frame and to remain alined with said motordespite relative displacement of said motor and said frame.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a main frame having atransverse beam, a sub-frame having a transverse beam, a universal jointconnecting said beams, a motor supported on said sub-frame, a motorstarting-crank, and means connecting said starting-crank to saidsub-frame to cause said starting-crank to remain alined with said motordespite relative displacement of said motor and said frame.

9. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a main frame having atransverse beam, a sub-frame having a transverse beam, a universal jointconnecting said beams, a motor supported on said sub-frame, a motorstarting-crank extending through said universal joint, and meansdirectly supporting said starting-crank on said sub-frame to cause saidstarting-crank to remain alined with said motor despite relativedisplacement of said frames.

10. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a main frame having atransverse beam, a sub-frame having a transverse beam, a universal jointconnecting said beams, a motor supported on said sub-frame, amotorstarting-crank extending through said beams, and means directlysupporting said startingcrank on said sub-frame to cause saidstarting-crank to remain alined with said motor despite relativedisplacement of said frames.

11. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a main frame having atransverse beam, a sub-frame having a transverse beam, a universal jointconnecting said beams, a motor supported on said sub-frame, a motorstarting-crank extending through said universal joint and said beams,and means directly supporting said starting-crank on said sub-frame tocause said starting-crank to remain alined with said motor despiterelative displacement of said frames.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANS e. ALBORN.

